Dry shaving device



Jan. 18, 1966 B, STREZOFF 3,229,366

DRY SHAVING DEVICE Filed Sept. 19, 1965 5060114 STREZOFF uw eilih l l INVENTOR r' 4 BY -j j,

United States Patent Oflice 3,229,366 Patented Jan. 18, 1966 3,229,366 DRY SHAVING DEVICE Bogoia Strezotf, 3735 Bloomington Ave. S., Minneapolis 7, Minn. Filed Sept. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 310,066 2 Claims. (Cl. Sti-43.6)

My invention relates to hair cutting devices and more particularly to electrically driven razors of the type which comprise a cutting head having a skin-engaging shear plate and cutting blade or bar wi-th the cutting blade being continuously rotated relative to the shear plate through the driving action of a rotating motor. Such razors are generally' called dry Shavers.

The usage of hair cutting devices, such as dry Shavers, has become widespread and generally accepted as a household shaving device. Such dry Shavers may take many forms, including continuously driven and oscillating type cutting blades and bars with appropriate driving means. Similarly, the shape of the shaving head has been varied to increase the -cutting surfaces thereof to reduce the Shaving time required for the use of the device, to increase the effectiveness and closeness of the shave, and to reach inaccessible portions of the face and body where they are normally applied for shaving purposes. The designs of the present day dry Shavers, particularly with respect to the shape of the shaving heads, have become relatively complex in an attempt to make them readily applicable to the shaving of relatively inaccessible surfaces of the face and body. The present invention is directed to a simplified dry shaving device with an improved shaving head which is particularly adaptable for shaving of the normally inaccessible surfaces, such as the sharp jawbones, `deep dimples and heavy creased wrinkles, in the iace and neck of the user. This improved dry shaving device provides a shaving head with a deep center well and with a curved annular shear plate extending therefrom with cutting Surfaces over the entire curved extent of the annular shear plate to provide this ready accessibility to ditiicult shaving points. This simplied dry shaver includes a cutting blade or member in the form of a dat plate formed to bear against and cooperate with the shear surfaces on the shear plate to effect -cutting over the entire shaving surface. Such a shaving head, when driven by a continuously rotating motor, provides improved cutting or shaving action and accessibility to points on the face and body of the user, normally inaccessible to present day Shavers. Further, the improved dry shaver has a mounting structure for the shear plate on the frame of 4the razor which provides for a deep well to catch the hairs cut by the shaving head, eliminating the necessity for frequent cleaning and maintenance of the razor. In addtion, the simplified cutting blade is readily retained in the shear plate when the razor head is removed from the frame of the razor for cleaning and maintenance purposes, thereby providing a safeguard for the cutting surfaces thereof. In addition, the cutting 4blade is continuously 'biased in operation against the -shear plate to provide for a Self sharpening action in the razor.

Therefore, it is an `object of this invention 1to provide an improved dry shaving device.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a dry shaving device, an improved shape of cutting head for shaving relatively inaccessible points on the face and body.

Another object of this invention is to provide in the design of the improved dry shaver an improved shape of the cutting head with a deep well and annulus extending therefrom with the cutting surfaces being included on the entire surface of the annular portion of the shear plate to improve the shaving action thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a dry shaver which is simple in design, economical to manufacture, and is easy to clean and maintain.

A further object of this invention is to provide in an improved dry shaving device, a large capacity catching and storage area for Ihair removed by the razor to permit infrequent cleaning for the same.

These and other objects `of the invention will become apparent from the reading of the attached description -together with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of the improved dry shaving device with the head portion in section,

lFIGURE 2 is a plan view of the improved dry shaving device.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of the cutting blade for the improved dry shaving device, and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the cutting blade of FIG- URE 3.

My improved hair cutting device or dry shaving device is shown generally in elevation and plan views in FIG- URES 1 and 2 with the Igeneral designation of the nu- Ineral 10. It is comprised of a body or frame part 11 which is generally elliptical in cross section with an eX- tending ange portion 12 at one end or the bottom thereof for ease in gripping of the frame or body. The details of the construction of the body or frame are omitted for simplicity since they form no specific part of the present invention and may take varied forms. Mounted wilhin the frame is an electric motor indicated generally in phantom at 15 which motor is adapted to `be suitably .mounted and secured Within the frame. Although not shown, it will be understood that the frame 11 m-ay Kbe a .multi-part device of suitably molded plastic which parts are vheld `together through suitable means such as nut and bolt connections (not shown). Similarly, the details of the mounting of the electric motor, which is of a continuous rotating type, are omitted -for simplicity. The motor 15 is adapted to be connected to an electrical source of power, through conductors indicated at 18, and as will be seen in lFIGURE 1, an appropriate connecting plug Ztl with a cord and mounting plug 21 attached thereto, lits into a suitable mounting aperture with connection parts (not shown) to provide an electrical circuit to the motor for energizing the same.

The frame 11 includes a circular flange 25 on the upper surface thereof, which flange is threaded and, as will be later noteda is designed to mount the shaving head for the dry Shaver. Also extending from the frame or body of the razor, is a shaft 27 connected to the motor 15 and driven thereby, which shaft is suitably journalled through means (not shown) in the frame 11 and extends beyond the surface of the frame and the edge of the circular ange 25, as will be seen in FIGURE l. This shaft has associated therewith a hair and dust seal 28 which Surrounds the same and is positioned in the upper sur-face of the frame to prevent hair clippings from entering the frame of the motor. It does not, however, otter resistance to rotation of the 4shaft 27, since a slight clearance is provided therebetween.

The dry shaver 10 includes a shaving head indicated generally at 39, which is mounted on the circular flange 25 through the threading thereon. The shaving head includes a tapered cylindrical shaped mounting member 32 having internal threading, as at 33, adapted to thread on the circular ange 25 and provide a support for a shear plate 35 of the shaving head 3). Shear plate 35 is basically in the form of an annulus which has been split through its cross section to provide a recessed center section defined by a circular connecting portion 36 of the shear plate with an annular portion 37 encircling the same and terminating in a circular or cylindrical ange 38 having Ia bead 39 thereon which ts into a groove 40 in the end of the cylindrical mounting member 32 for securing the same on the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member 32 of the head 30 is generally as long as the extension of the shaft 27 above the surface of the frame 11 to provide a deep well cavity within the shaving head to receive and contain the hairs clipped by the shaving head.

The shear plate 35 of the shaving head at the annular portion 37 has a plurality of radially extending slots 42, shown enlarged and out of proportion in FIGURE 2 for graphic presentation purposes, which slots receive the hair to be cut. It will be understood that the slots extend over the entire annular portion of the shear plate from the center connection portion 36 delining the deep well to the flange portion 3S by means of which the shear plate is supported and mounted on the cylindrical member 32. The slots in the shear plate on their undersurface define a cutting edge which cooperates with a formed flat or thin cutting member or cutting blade 41 which is formed sym- -rnetrically to t into the annular portion of the shear plate having a straight central section 44 with a hub 45 thereon. The ends of the horizontal rotating cutting blade are bent or curved along their extent to t into the annular portion of the shear plate as lat 43, and ride in the shear plate 35 in sliding contact therewith to complete the cutting head. The curved edges of the cutting blade 41 form the cutting surface of the cutting blade which is shown in plan and elevation view enlarged in FIGURES 3 and 4.

The blade 41 is made of a iiexible spring steel, suitably treated after forming, such that it will always maintain its shape and fit adjacent the shear plate in cutting contact therewith and cooperating with the entire length 'of the radial extending slots in the shear plate. This will provide a cutting surface over the entire annular portion of the shear plate or cutting head.

As will be seen in FIGURE 2, the cutting blade 41 is shown in phantom under the Shear plate 3S. The edges of the cutting blade cooperate with the radially extending slots '49 in such a manner that these edges, which are straight, form an angle with the slots to provide a scissors type cutting action as the blade is rotated relative to the shear plate. All the slots 42 of the shear plate 35 in FIGURE 2 are shown out of proportion, and it will be recognized that they will be so sized and positioned within manufacturing tolerances to be very closely spaced together, and the width of the cutting bar will be adjusted to provide suiiicient rigidity in the cutting blade to resist torsional deformation as it is rotated.

The cutting blade 41 when positioned in the shear plate will bear against the inner surfaces of the annular portion 37 to provide the cutting action described above, and when so positioned, the center section 44 of the cutting blade surrounding the hub 45 will be spaced from and parallel to the circular center section 36 of the shear plate defining a central cavity thereof. The spacing will provide that no frictional engagement will be present at this point between the parts. Hub 45 of the cutting blade has a square aperture therein, which aperture is designed to receive the squared extremity 52 of the shaft 27. This relationship between the squared extremity 52 of the shaft 27 and the aperture 50 in the hub 45 of the cutting blade will provide for `an axially sliding relationship for the cutting blade on the shaft 27 along the axis thereof while providing a positive driving relationship between the shaft and the cutting blade. While a square configuration between the shaft and vthe cutting blade is shown herein, it will be recognized that other equivalent splined connections which permit a sliding action in the Vaxial direction of the cutting blade on the shaft may be utilized for positive rotation of the cutting blade with the shaft.

The slidable mounting of the cutting blade 41 on the shaft extremity 52 permits a biasing arrangement between the shaft and the cutting blade to continually urge the cutting blade into engagement with the shear plate. Thus as will be-seen in FIGURE L'shaft 27 has a reduced `section as at 53, to define a shoulder 54lthereon. Positioned on the reduced section 53 of shaft 27 is a helical spring 55 which encircles this end of the shaft and bears against the shoulder section 54 thereon for support while engaging at its other extremity the undersurface of the center section 44 of the blade to urge the blade into engagement with the shear plate. To prevent loss of the spring, it may be suitably secured to the shaft at the shoulder portion, such as is indicated by a weld 58 or otherwise mechanically retained'thereon. The spring 55 is free at its other extremity to bias the hub 4S of the cutting blade through the slidable mounting of the blade on the shaft, thereby biasing the curved portions 43 of the blade against the annular portion 37 of the shear plate for positive engagement thereof over the entire annular portion such that cutting will be obtained throughout the extent of the annular portion of the shear plate at the slots there-in. While I have shown a specific biasing arrangement for the cutting blade against the shear plate, it will be recognized that equivalent structures may be utilized which will effect -a lateral or axial positioning of the cutting blade on the shaft 27 to permit this positive engagement of the cutting surfaces of the blade with the cutting surfaces of the shear plate.

Also positioned on the circular iiange 38 of the shear plate is a retaining ring 6o which may be press tted into the shear plate or formed integral therewith. This retaining ring insures that the cutting blade will be normally retained in the shear plate against the undersurface of the plate whenever the blade is removed from the drive shaft Z7 of the motor as the shaving head is removed from the frame. Such removal is obtained by unscrewing the mounting member 32 of the shear plate 35 at the threaded portion 33 thereof until the threaded portion is clear of the threaded circular flange 25 on the frame at which point the cutting blade will slide off the splined section of a shaft27 with removal of the Shaving head 36 from the frame of the dry shaver. The threading arrangement between the circular ange 25 and the mounting member 32 of the shaving head will be such as to be opposite to the direction of rotation of the motor and the cutting blade. This threaded connection will provide for removal of the shaving head against t-he normal direction of rotation of the cutting blade so that rotation of the motor and the cutting blade within the shaving 4head will be in a direction to normally tighten the cylindrical mounting member 32 on its supporting cylindrical iiange 25 of the frame member during operation of the razor.

The frictional engagement between the cutting 4blade 41 and the annular shaped shear plate 35 will provide a self-sharpening action between the parts of the shaving head during operation of the device in which the cutting blade 41 is rotated continuously by the motor 15 at high speeds. The relatively large recessed area under the shear plate and Within the -cylindrical mounting member will provide for adequate storage capacity of the clipped whiskers of hair such that the razor will normally not have to be cleaned with the frequency of present day devices. The shaving head may be simply removed from the frame of the dry shaver by unscrewing the cylindrical mounting member 32 from the frame at which time the cutting blade 41 will be retained in the shear plate to prevent damage thereto.

This improved dry shaving device with the annular shaped shaving head is particularly designed for the shaving of hard to get at places on the face and body, such as in and around the inner and outer lobes of the ears, in dimples, around sharp cheek bones, and in and around the nostrils. The slots in the shear plate act as a comb to raise the hairs on the face and in wrinkles and creases on the face and in and around relativeiy inaccessible spots such as the ears and nostriis to raise the same permitting the shaving head to cut the hairs where the conventional fiat type or sloped type cutting heads fail to operate. Since cutting is provided over the entiresurfa of the annular shear plate and a deep well cavity 36 is provided in the shaving head, relatively little pressure is required in the shaving operation and hairs which have a tendency to grow in various directions at the same point on the surface of the face may be readily cut since they will be raised lby the combing action of the slots in the shear plate. Further, the improved shaving head with the cutting surfaces over the entire annular surface of the shear plate permits the razor to be tilted or moved in any position or direction and still provide a proper shaving surface and cutting action. In addition, the relative angular relationship between the sides of the straight -bar type cutting7 blade and the radially extending slots in the shear plate will provide the desired scissors action for clipping the hairs in a recognized fashion. This configuration may be readily mounted on a frame shaped as indicated in FIGURES l and 2, but may be also employed on different shapes of frames for dry Shavers if desired. For convenience, the enlarged ange section in the elliptical shaped frame permits easy gripping of the razor or dry shaver for manipulation and operation of the same. This improved dry shaving device may be utilized without extensive pressure or application to the surface of the face `:hereby eliminating shaver burns caused by nicking of the skin. At the same time, it provides an extremely fine cutting action for the tough skin and heavily creased wrinkles, deep dimples, and the like which normally present hard to shave surfaces.

While I have shown a simplified construction of a shaving head in a dry shaving device, it will be understood that changes may be made in the mechanical construction of the same while retaining the simplified arrangement of the single annular shaped shear plate with the plurality of radially extending Whisker slots therein, and the simplified blade type cutting member associated therewith. The particular shape and conguration of these parts permits easy access to normally hard to get at positions or surfaces on the face to which the razor is applied and in addition, provides a simple and clean cutting shaving device which may ybe used for shaving the normally inaccessible areas of the face with respect to conventional dry Shavers. Therefore, in considering this invention, it should `be remembered that the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative only and the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dry shaving device, a frame member and a rotatable motor mounted within said frame member, a shaft connected to and driven by said rotatable motor With the extremity of said shaft extending beyond the surface of said frame member and having a splined extremity, annular ange means integral With the surface 0f said frame member and concentric with said shaft, sealing means for said shaft encircling said shaft and mounted in said surface of said frame member, a shear plate in the form of an annulus split through its cross section and having a connecting portion at the center thereof defining a central cavity and with a circular connecting flange at its outer periphery, a plurality of radially extending slots distributed around the annular portion of said shear plate extending substantially from the connecting portion of the central cavity to the peripheral edge of said circular flange, a cylindrical mounting member mounting the shear plate at one extremity through its peripheral flange and being removably positioned on the annular flange through a threaded connection the opening direction of movement of which is `the opposite direction of rotation of the rotatable motor, a rotatable flat cutting blade having a supporting hub with an opening therein adapted to t over and slide on the splined extremity of said shaft, said cutting blade being curved along its extent from the hub to bear against the annular 7 when said blade is positioned with its splined extremity through the opening in the hub of the cutting blade to bias the cutting blade into engagement with the annular portion of the shear plate, electrical connection means connected to said motor and included in said frame member being adapted to be connected to an electrical source of power, the cutting action of said cutting blade and said shear plate taking place over the entire surface of said annular shear plate, and retaining flange means positioned on the inner surface of the peripheral flange of the shear plate being spaced from the ends of the cutting blade and operative to retain the cutting blade in the shear plate upon removal of the shear plate and mounting member from the frame member.

2. In a dry shaving device, a frame member and a rotatable motor mounted within said Aframe member, a shaft connected to and driven by said rotating motor with the extremity of said shaft extending beyond the surface of said frame member and having a splined extremity, annular ange means integral with the surface of said frame member and concentric with said shaft, sealing means for said shaft encircling said shaft and mounted in said surface of said frame member, a shear plate in the form of an annulus split through its cross section 'and having a connecting portion at the center thereof defining a central cavity and with a circular connecting flange at its outer periphery, a plurality of radially extending slots distributed around the entire annular portion of said shear plate extending substantially from the connecting portion of the central cavity to the peripheral edge of said circular ange, a cylindrical mounting member mounting the shear plate at one extremity through its peripheral flange and being removably positioned on the annular flange through a threaded connection the opening direction of movement of which is the opposite direction of rotation of the rotatable motor, a flat rotatable cutting blade having a supporting hub with an opening therein adapted to fit over and slide on the splined extremity of said shaft, said cutting blade being curved along its extent from the hub to bear against the annular portion of the shear plate and with the hub being spaced from the connecting portion of the shear plate, spring bias means included in the connection between the shaft and the cutting blade tobias the cutting blade at its hub urging `the curved extremities thereof into engagement with the annular portion of said shear plate, electrical connection means connected to said motor and included in said frame member being adapted to be connected to an electrical source of power, the cutting action of said cutting blade and said shear plate `taking placer over the entire surface of said annular shear plate, and retaining flange means mounted on the inner surface of the peripheral edge of the shear plate being spaced from the ends of the cutting blade and operative -to retain the cutting blade in the shear plate upon removal of the shear plate and mounting member from the frame member.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,077,805 4/1937 Muros 'S0-43.9 X 2,212,624 8/1940 Testi Sil-43.6 2,247,798 7/1941 Bean 'S0-43.6 2,373,370 4/1945 Bahr 30-43.6 2,536,015 12/1950 Konrad 30-43.6 2,822,610 2/1958 Kleinman 30-41.6 2,992,481 7/ 1961 Shoemaker 30-41.6 3,019,525 2/ 1962 Bruecker 30-43.6

FOREIGN PATENTS 861,221 2/ 1961 Great Britain.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Examiner. 

1. IN A DRY SHAVING DEVICE, A FRAME MEMBER AND A ROTATABLE MOTOR MOUNTED WITHIN SAID FRAME MEMBER, A SHAFT CONNECTED TO AND DRIVEN BY SAID ROTATABLE MOTOR WITH THE EXTREMITY OF SAID SHAFT EXTENDING BEYOND THE SURFACE OF SAID FRAME MEMBER AND HAVING A SPLINED EXTREMITY, ANNULAR FLANGE MEANS INTEGRAL WITH THE SURFACE OF SAID FRAME MEMBER AND CONCENTRIC WITH SAID SHAFT, SEALING MEANS FOR SAID SHAFT ENCIRCLING SAID SHAFT AND MOUNTED IN SAID SURFACE OF SAID FRAME MEMBER, A SHEAR PLATE IN THE FORM OF AN ANNULUS SPLIT THROUGH ITS CROSS SECTION AND HAVING A CONNECTING PORTION AT THE CENTER THEREOF DEFINING A CENTRAL CAVITY AND WITH A CIRCULAR CONNECTING FLANGE AT ITS OUTER PERIPHERY, A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY EXTENDING SLOTS DISTRIBUTED AROUND THE ANNULAR PORTION OF SAID SHEAR PLATE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE CONNECTING PORTION OF THE CENTRAL CAVITY TO THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID CIRCULAR FLANGE, A CYLINDRICAL MOUNTING MEMBER MOUNTING THE SHEAR PLATE AT ONE EXTERMITY THROUGH ITS PERIPHERAL FLANGE AND BEING REMOVABLY POSITIONED ON THE ANNULAR FLANGE THROUGH A THREADED CONNECTION THE OPENING DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF THE ROTATABLE MOTOR, A ROTATALE FLAT CUTTING BLADE HAVING A SUPPORTING HUB WITH AN OPENING THEREIN ADAPTED TO FIT OVER AND SLIDE ON THE SPLINED EXTREMITY OF SAID SHAFT, SAID CUTTING BLADE BEING CURVED ALONG ITS EXTENT FROM THE HUB TO BEAR AGAINST THE ANNULAR PORTION OF THE SHEAR PLATE AND WITH THE HUB BEING SPACED FROM THE CONNECTING PORTION OF THE SHEAR PLATE, BIAS MEANS MOUNTED ON THE SHAFT AND ENGAGING A FLANGE ON SAID SHAFT BEING ADAPTED TO BEAR AGAINST THE HUB OF SAID CUTTING BLADE WHEN SAID BLADE IS POSITIONED WITH ITS SPLINED EXTREMITY THROUGH THE OPENING IN THE HUB OF THE CUTTING BLADE TO BIAS THE CUTTING BLADE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ANNULAR PORTION OF THE SHEAR PLATE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR AND INCLUDED IN SAID FRAME MEMBER BEING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO AN ELECTRICAL SOURCE OF POWER, THE CUTTING ACTION OF SAID CUTTING BLADE AND SAID SHEAR PLATE TAKING PLACE OVER THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF SAID ANNULAR SHEAR PLATE, AND RETAINING FLANGE MEANS POSITIONED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF THE PERIPHERAL FLANGE OF THE SHEAR PLATE BEING SPACED FROM THE ENDS OF THE CUTTING BLADE AND OPERATIVE TO RETAIN THE CUTTING BLADE IN THE SHEAR PLATE UPON REMOVAL OF THE SHEAR PLATE AND MOUNTING MEMBER FROM THE FRAME MEMBER. 